Analysis: September 2009 Software Sales -- Halo 3: ODST Sells 1.52 Million

52 Comments

Posted October 19, 2009 - By pklepek

Halo 3: ODST PAX 2009 Brian Jarrard Interview

Microsoft and Bungie Studios didn't give the release of Halo 3: ODST the same blockbuster treatment as Halo 3, but that didn't stop the Halo faithful from coming out in big numbers for the latest fight against the Covenant. September 2009 sales numbers from the NPD Group report Halo 3: ODST sold 1.52 million copies, with its closest competitor, Wii Sports Resort, more than a million behind.

The complete list:

360 Halo 3: ODST, Microsoft, 1,520,000
Wii Wii Sports Resort w/ Motion Plus, Nintendo of America, 442,900
360 Madden NFL 2010, Electronic Arts, 289,600
DS Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Nintendo of America, 258,100
360 The Beatles: Rock Band, MTV Games, 254,000
PS3 Madden NFL 2010, Electronic Arts, 246,500
360 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Activision Blizzard, 236,000
PS3 Batman: Arkham Asylum, Square Enix, 212,500
360 Guitar Hero 5, Activision Blizzard, 210,800
Wii The Beatles: Rock Band, MTV Games, 208,600

Who expected Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story to chart so high? Encouraging numbers, given Nintendo's difficuly in pushing more traditional games on both the DS and Wii, but it's certainly a testament to the continued power of the Mario franchise and should give Nintendo solid confidence for New Super Mario Bros. Wii when it launches next month. That game's going to be a monster.

MTV Games must be happy, as The Beatles: Rock Band appears to have outsold Guitar Hero 5. It was good news elsewhere, too, especially for Square Enix, who saw Batman: Arkham Asylum chart for the second month in a row, and Electronic Arts.

"Madden NFL 10 made up some ground this month," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a press release. "Although when launched in August the game sold 19% fewer units than its predecessor a year prior, with a second month of sales in, that deficit has been reduced to 13%, which bodes very well for the title through the holiday season."

How many of these games did you pick up in September?

Tags: Nintendo DS, NPD Analysis, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Videogames, Wii, Xbox 360

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GreedyMcNasty

Oh for the love of God. Go buy both systems so you don't have to play favorites anymore. They are both at such low price points, you have to be a freaking tard ball, child, or broke joke, to not have all three systems. You can buy them (all)at the pawn shop at one time! today for 300 dollars!!!!! You are the pot calling the kettle black. Grow up, get a job, read a book, get off the hooked on e-bonicks, stop being gangster tuff. If you troll on here........ might need another girlfriend other than the girl your typing with right now!

Posted: October 20, 2009 11:45 AM | Reply | Report

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EldritchWarlord

PS3 fanbots are really pushing their temporary Uncharted 2 heads up on the Xbox 360 crowd.

Sony fanbots are such fickle people it seems; first they attack Xbox for only having shooters, then for not having certain shooters, now for having current releases with slightly lower metacritic scores. I'm curious as to what they'll come up with next though seeing as how next year's major Q1 PS3 releases are MAG, GoW3, and DC Universe Online while the 360's are the roughly analogous Splinter Cell 5, Alan Wake, and Mass Effect 2.

Posted: October 20, 2009 9:33 AM | Reply | Report

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StarWars_Enigma

Didn't G4 report that 2.5 million copies of ODST were sold, not 1.5 million? Either G4 got their numbers wrong or a million returned ODST and the NPD is the final number in their tally. Ouch....

Posted: October 20, 2009 9:01 AM | Reply | Report

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chocosquirrel

I like how everything on the list is a #1. Way to be positive.

Posted: October 20, 2009 7:20 AM | Reply | Report

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SlickyFats

I wish they had taken into account all of the returns on Halo ODST. My local hastings and gamestop stopped accepting them because the following week they were flooded with buybacks. But I guess it still sold even though it wasn't very good. I sold mine within 2 days

Posted: October 20, 2009 7:15 AM | Reply | Report

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MrPickering

I liked ODST, a lot. I wouldnt put it at $60, maybe $50. I think it would have sold twice as many units at $40, but Im satisfied with what I got.

I think the industry needs more games like ODST. Considering the last 2 other games I bought were Shadow Complex and Castle Crashers, I can definitely appreciate the low cost, fun games.

Posted: October 20, 2009 7:12 AM | Reply | Report

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SteveKB

I think that the price is only good if you don't already own halo and all the DLC for it

Posted: October 20, 2009 4:01 AM | Reply | Report

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Notafanboythatiknow

I guess costumers are dumber (or more over anxious) than I expected. Why in the world people pay $65 for a half game. We have to become more discriminating on shady deals like ODST. I get that the game has appeal but why not wait for its price to calm down and not let Bungie get away with it.

Posted: October 20, 2009 3:28 AM | Reply | Report

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DarkSithMstr

Did Eidos get bought by Square-Enix? Or vice Versa? Because my copy of Batman AA says Eidos. I never saw their name in the credits either.

Posted: October 20, 2009 12:36 AM | Reply | Report

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Aerindel_Prime

ODST is the most fun I've had playing games since fallout. Totally deserves the #1 spot this month.

Its amazing just how much PS3 owners hate us. I honestly think they would rather see us dead than playing our games. Lucky when the war comes we'll win since "all xbox has is shooters''

Posted: October 19, 2009 11:33 PM | Reply | Report

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seph384

Did you say guitar hero 5 i could have swore i heard rock band 5 guitar hero is dead they just copy and copy rock band.lol just remember the guys faithful to guitar hero series remeber harmonix made them then left to do their own thing and made rock band. thats why guitar hero 1 and 2 where the best and 3 and on the others sucked like bad. if you wonder why guitar is better now i wonder why cuz its more like rockband lol

Posted: October 19, 2009 10:59 PM | Reply | Report

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seph384

Its quite funny this just explaines why i traded in my xbox for a ps3. Nothing but shooter games come on that all 360 gots get original do something new besides fable.And why pay for online when it lags what kinda crap is that. psn is free and what no lag.honestly i played online on both but truthfully it lags alot.....alot alot. but if u like just first person shooters and thats it like completly it stick with an xbox. But if you like variety of games get a ps3 and when its a shooter its a damn good one.killzone 2 and uncharted 2 are awesome. demon soul is up there too. IF you wanna talk about exclusives heres an example of variety

Demons souls
God of war collection
Final Fantasy versus 13 looks much better than just ff13
Katamari forever
Quantum
White Knight Chronicles
God of war 3
Gran Turismo 5
Killzone 2
Resistance 2-3
Little big Planet
M.a.g
Metal Gear 4
Ratchet and clank
Batman: Arkham Asylum With JOKER
Ninja Gaiden 2
The Last Gurdian
Heavy Rain
did i miss anymore? i kno theres more just making a point lol
And YES THERE ALL PS3 EXCLUSIVES no multiplatform crap

And All or mostly ps2 games are going to be added to the psn network.which i'm sure everyone knows the games.I mean who wouldnt. i mean did you actually get an xbox back then lol I'm Not dissing xbox i mean halo is fun but come on....COME ON!! open your eyes theres much more than first person shooters guys.

And psn online does not suck are u stupid really.I mean lag free like really no B.S. Talkin.for real and you got a internet search no need for update like xbox we can just go there to update go type in myspace or facebook or twitter and go watch videos on youtube or where ever you know where to stream videos no need for net flix. If u had a ps3 you would know this come on guys really use your head before you talk.

I had a xbox i know what i'm talking about

Posted: October 19, 2009 10:54 PM | Reply | Report

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sukTHEfacc

the only reasons odst sold so many is because

1) it's branded with the name "Halo" in which every xbot in the world just had to get a copy no matter what

2) there's nothing else for the xbots to buy!

Posted: October 19, 2009 10:41 PM | Reply | Report

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DarkKenzu

I honestly have all 3 Consoles and do prefer the PS3 but i have never played a Halo game until ODST and I loved it.

P.S. Next month when MW 2 comes out i will get it for the PS3

Posted: October 19, 2009 10:36 PM | Reply | Report

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RandyMercer

You guys are off topic I love the PS3 and everything but really XBox fanboys/PS3 fanboys we have good games combined get over it We Have Uncharted(series), iNFAMOUS, Resistance etc. Xbox has what Halo, Gears of War, and some other stuff. But on the Topic I'm not surprised that Halo 3: ODST is number 1 I mean seriously. Although I'm not a fan I can see that it would be # 1

Posted: October 19, 2009 10:29 PM | Reply | Report

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marinecorec4

@starwars_enigma

come on really? god of war 3 i doubt that gw3 will top every single game the 360 will have in its life time

and to the rest of you

how off topic are the comments on here? this isn't about fan boys being douches to each other, its about numbers! The number of copies sold for odst is astounding nothing comes close, kinda crazy since it's just an overpriced expansion, lol

Posted: October 19, 2009 10:07 PM | Reply | Report

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StarWars_Enigma

@FLP_B01

No doubt man! I laughed really hard when I heard Forza had a rewind feature! Forza is a "racing sim" alright, in their dreams. Gt5 is the true simulation racing series. I cant wait until it comes out!

Posted: October 19, 2009 9:58 PM | Reply | Report

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StarWars_Enigma

God! Dont you wanna meet PS3fears360 and like punch him in the face or something? While I admit the 360 has some impressive games, ps3 is way better. First off, has anyone ever heard of n4g before?...Cause I sure as hell havent. Forza 3 is impressive but when gran turismo 5 comes out, it'll give it the ass-spanking of a lifetime! GT5= 1000 cars, forza 3= 400....yeah, GT5 is better. If you compare games on both consoles, genre to genre, ps3 tops everytime. 360 has Halo, ps3 has Resistance. 360 has Forza, ps3 has Gran Turismo and ps3 has God of War III which tops every game 360 will ever have...Sorry xbots! better luck next time

Posted: October 19, 2009 9:39 PM | Reply | Report

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KilferMF

You guys are so cool. like, how you try to minimize to hugely successful consoles because you don't like them . . . I like Macs, that doesn't make Microsoft any less rich . . .

In relation to the article, "Microsoft and Bungie Studios didn't give the release of Halo 3: ODST the game blockbuster treatment as Halo 3". Pat, it seems as though a live action commercial dedicated to ODST would count as "blockbuster treatment" yea mate?

I'm still wondering how Xplay gave it a 5/5 where no one else gave such scores. I've seen a solid average of 80% across the board. Not bad, but easily not a game worthy of the "coveted 5/5".

Posted: October 19, 2009 9:35 PM | Reply | Report

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PS3fears360

http://www.n4g.com/ps3/News-41 2734.aspx

"Numerous people are reporting freezing issues with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Early reports are indicating that PS3s of all makes and models are being affected by this issue."

Wow that Uncharted 2 is some "quality" game. Poor PS3 fanboys are stuck playing freeze tag with Uncharted 2 while us 360 are enjoying the best games in the world. ODST, Forza 3, Left 4 Dead 2, and Episodes from Liberty City FTW!!!

Posted: October 19, 2009 9:14 PM | Reply | Report

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